I do not own Naruto. I didn't earn money to write this story. Masashi Kishimoto created Naruto. I think this can be interpreted as either a Shonen Ai fic or just a friendship fic. It is up to you the readers to decide for yourself. It is about dealing with grief.
Death of a Hokage…
Chapter 3: I will always remember you, Naruto
"I will always remember you, Naruto."
Sasuke walked aimlessly. The village was quiet in the late afternoon. He kicked a pebble down the lane. One might have been reminded of a lonely child looking at him. He was grateful that he no longer had to worry about the girls of the village bombarding him with their wasted affections.
The sun sank. The sky was painted in oranges, pinks, and purples. Not paying attention he found himself at the old training grounds. The familiar posts brought an ache to his heart as he pictured their team fighting Kakashi for those stupid bells. He chuckled remembering how Naruto had been tied to that post.
He could just picture him training alone. Yes he had spied on Naruto back them. He had watched him train with the kind of determination no normal human should have possessed. He was jealous of Naruto. Never would have admitted it, not for anything, well maybe if admitting he was jealous had gotten him the chance to kill his brother.
Sasuke had so much regret. He kept walking though. Hearing the shouts as the vision of Naruto continued to punch one of the posts angrily. Naruto had tears streaming down his cheeks, he could swear that the kid was real. Hair that looked golden in the sun. Bleeding knuckles. He could not make out the eyes. Sasuke got closer. He didn't try to hide, why hide from an illusion? He just wanted to follow his instincts. Just to have a chance to touch Naruto again. Feel that soft hair, see those beautiful cerulean eyes. He opened his mouth before his mind could stop him, "Na-Naruto?" He stopped when the vision turned to him. Angry brown eyes glared at him hair that was not golden, but light brown shined and stuck up from his head so much like Naruto's.
"Who the hell are you? Go! Go-way!" The boy screamed at him. He turned. Sasuke knew he was going to run, but Sasuke could not let the kid just up and leave. He was bleeding. His clothes were disheveled and Sasuke could tell he had not had a decent meal in a while. The kid was scrawny. Naruto had always been on the petite side but this kid looked half starved.
Sasuke grabbed his arm and jerked him back.
"Let go! You- you- Pervert!" The boy swung his leg out to kick him but Sasuke was not just some lowly genin. He easily and painlessly blocked the kick.
"Why are you out here alone?" His voice was harsh. He didn't know why, but the kid irked him. Nobody ever pissed him off this much since Naruto had died. Sasuke grabbed his shoulders and squared the boy up. He looked into those brown eyes. He saw fear, and desperation.
"N-none of your damn business!" The boy started out stuttering but in the end his sounded brash. Sasuke was not fooled the kid was trembling. Looking him over the kid had dark circles under his eyes. He was bruised; like he had been in a fight with someone bigger than him. He looked young but somehow Sasuke knew he was older than he looked. He was right about the boy's clothes. They were thread bare and had numerous stains on them.
"I think you had better answer me," Sasuke droned. He tapped his forehead to indicate the headband. He was almost surprised when a look of disdain crossed his face.
"Who cares! Let me go you BASTARD!" The kid struggled and kicked, "As if I care whether you're a ninja!" He spat the word ninja out like it tasted bitter.
"Well maybe your parents would like to know you are out here beating your hands on that post. You're bleeding, you know," Sasuke warned him.
The boy's eyes grew big then sadness flickered across them, "Like he cares. He's a bastard too!"
"That's no way to speak of your elders," Sasuke chided the kid.
"Jus-just let me be," The boy begged, "M-not botherin' anybody here."
'That's not the point. It will be dark soon and the nights are cold now. You should get home."
"No point," Suddenly the boy slapped on a grin, "I need to train." Oh this kid just oozed Narutoness.
Sasuke sighed. What's happened to him he's letting a foul mouthed little kid dictate what he was going to do, but his duty to the village (to Naruto's memory) meant he had to make sure the kid was going to be ok. Sasuke sat in the grass still holding the kids shoulders. He opened his mouth, "Why do you need to train until you're bleeding?"
Sasuke reached into his pouch and pulled out some training bandaged. He grabbed the kids hands and began to wrap his knuckles. The kid either refused to acknowledge or just didn't notice him doing it.
"Lots a' reasons," He said sagely and nodded his head. God this kid screamed Naruto. It wasn't fair.
"Like what?" Sasuke asked hiding the pain in his own voice behind a caviler tone.
The kid stuck his tongue out and jerked back. Sasuke let go causing him to fall on his bottom, "Jerk! Why you wanna know so bad? So you can make fun a' me too?" He couldn't quite hide the hurt in his voice. So he wasn't as good at hiding it as Naruto had been. Less practice Sasuke supposed.
"I won't," He said seriously. Sasuke couldn't laugh anyway.
"Fine," The child sighed, "I decided I want to be totally awesome when I get bigger. The other kids make fun of me cause I'm short, but know what? Iruka-sensei had told me that the Hokage had been short and used to get picked on a lot too!"
"How would he know? Tsunade is older than him?" Sasuke was seriously confused.
"Not her, dummy!" The boy grumped and puffed out his cheeks. He looked cute, a lot like Naruto used to. He continued to speak, "I mean Rokudaime Hokage!"
"Naruto?" Sasuke said sounding much stupider than he was.
"God you're brilliant aren't ya?" The boy said in a grouchy way, "…but yeah. Uzumaki Naruto the son of the Yellow Flash. The man who saved the village. Iruka said he was a lot like me when he was a kid and he became great. I wanna be just like 'im!" He frowned, "Now don't you laugh. Just cause the other kids say I'm stupid for wanting to be like the hero of the village don't mean I'm gonna take that shit from you!"
Sasuke was sitting slack jawed. This kid was something else…really!
"My da' don' like 'im though! He smacked me when I said I was gonna be just like him. Da's a chuunin and not worth much. I hate him!" The boy growled angrily not caring to hide the hatred from this strange man. Something about the man made him want to talk and let out his problems.
"Da' said he was a monster and was glad he died!" The boy shouted at Sasuke. Sasuke shared his feelings. If it were him in this boy's place he would have torn the guy's heart out and stomped it. How dare he say such things about Naruto!
Sasuke's thought was interrupted by the grumbling of a stomach. He hadn't eaten since breakfast, but it wasn't him. The boy blushed and glared at him like it was Sasuke's fault.
"Want to go get some food?" Sasuke offered.
"Psh, NO! you'll just probably lead me to some dark alley and molest me," The boy accused glibly.
Sasuke's eyes widened a fraction. This kid seemed way older than he looked. Had he gotten into such a situation before? He cleared his throat and stood up, "I won't." He turned to leave, "But if you are sure. I'll just go to Ichiraku's by myself. He hoped the kid was more like Naruto than just on the surface."
"Huh?" The boy stood up too.
"You know where it is right?"
"Yeah," He said still sounding suspicious.
"Then you know it is in the middle of the marketplace where there are lots of people shopping. You can easily call for help."
"Ha, Ha," The boy laughed bitterly, "Like anybody would stick their neck out for some grungy kid."
Sasuke's chest panged, so the kid had been in that situation before.
"Listen," Sasuke said as he turned to the small boy, "I promise I would never do anything like that to you. Okay?" He looked into the boy's eyes. The child seemed to be searching him.
He nodded, "Fine…that is if you are buying." Sasuke quirked a brow and the kid laughed then sighed, "Like I have any money."
"Yeah, whatever," Sasuke turned around again, "Hurry up dead last." That just slipped out.
The kid screamed angrily, 'You're such a bastard!" Sasuke almost chuckled. The kid stomped past him trying to look menacing, looking more like a kicked puppy than anything.
They walked back to the village in the dying light. Sasuke's mouth turned up slightly as he thought, 'He needs help. This boy…He's like you Naruto.'
Don't worry this is not going to be a shouta fic! Sasuke isn't a pedophile.